This application claims the benefits under 35 USC 119 to Japanese priority application 2003-297635, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-displaying apparatus and a method for obtaining pixel data therefor. More specifically, it relates to an image-displaying apparatus and the like for displaying an actual image thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
On a conventional image-displaying apparatus using a cathode ray tube, a liquid crystal display, a projector or the like, an image 10 of object 20 imaged by any video camera 30 is displayed. Such the image 10 is only the one viewed from a position of the camera 30 as a viewpoint thereof, as shown in FIG. 1. If a user (viewer) moves his or her head to alter the viewpoint when he or she sees the image 10 displayed on the display portion 40, the image 10 is remained unchanged as being the image viewed from a center of lens in the camera 30 (hereinafter properly referred to as “camera's viewpoint”). Thus, regarding the conventional displaying apparatus using the cathode ray tube and the like, it has not been successfully performed that the image 10 displayed on the display portion 40 can be altered according to an alteration of the user's viewpoint.
Regarding a technology using a hologram, there has been a chance that the image displayed on the display portion can be altered according to an alteration of the user's viewpoint. For example, it is called as “zebra imaging”. Such the zebra imaging, however, requires a large amount of operation and time therefor to create it because it uses the hologram and displays holographic images.
As another technology that the image displayed on the display portion can be altered according to an alteration of the user's viewpoint, a virtual reality (VR) system using immersive projection technology (IPT) or immersive projection display (IPD) has been developed by university of Illinois. For example, it is called as “CAVE” system. Such the VR system, however, is subject to displaying computer graphics (CG) so that it is difficult to be subject to displaying an actual image imaged by video camera.
An image-displaying apparatus such that the actual image can be displayed on the display portion according to an alteration of the user's viewpoint has been developed. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 09-236880 discloses such the apparatus. In such the apparatus, when a viewer's viewpoint is altered to another view area, image contents to be displayed on the display portion such as liquid crystal display are altered with reflecting a difference of the movement based on alteration of the viewer's viewpoint.
In this case, in order to alter the image contents to be displayed on the display portion, image data corresponding to each of the view areas, for example, is previously provided. Thus, limited is the viewer's viewpoint alteration so that it is impossible for the viewer to alter his or her viewpoint to optional one.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image-displaying apparatus and the like wherein an actual image corresponding to the optional viewpoint can be displayed on the display portion having its surface of a predetermined shape in good condition.